“Fear not little flock, for it is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

“Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do…”

Is this the truth? Is God answering your prayers? Are you in need of healing? A job? A solution to your challenges? Freedom from stress?

These are promises of God. They are based on a fixed principle – Love. Not the personal love that one might feel for his or her spouse, children, friends, but a love that is all encompassing, all embracing – that will warm you to your core if you but allow it in.

But this love is quite demanding. If we love some, but not others, we are not following the teachings of Jesus. Jesus told us that God ‘makes the sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.’ Why? Why is it that evil people enjoy nature’s benefits equally with the good?

Is that just the way it is? An indication of the unfairness of life? Why should evil people enjoy the same benefits of this world as good people? Where is God’s hand in this?

But Jesus said, ‘love you enemies, bless those that curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.’

If your brother or sister does something to upset you, that doesn’t diminish your parents’ love for you both. God loves all of us with an indescribably deep and unending love. We are built in God’s image and are ‘wired’ to try to achieve the same love that God manifests.

So, if we feel anger, or resentment, or hurt about something or someone, we are putting ourselves outside of God’s protection. Jesus clearly told us not to be angry or profane. These mistakes take us away from God’s protection. As we work at overcoming them we feel God’s love embracing us.

It can perhaps be said that the ‘Sexual Revolution’ which is still underway today, had its beginnings way back in 1960. It was then that the publisher of Lady Chatterley’s Lover, Penguin Books, was charged with breaching the Obscene Publications Act due to the book’s explicit descriptions of sex and use of words which even today are published only on a restricted basis. The publisher was found ‘not guilty.’

Courts came to similar conclusions in USA, Australia, Canada and other countries and the floodgates opened. Now, it seems, with the advent of the internet, just about anything is possible. Adultery, incest, sadomasochism, sodomy, bestiality, violence – you can read, and see, all about it in the comfort of your own home on your computer. Yes, so long as the parties voluntarily consent, anything is possible.

But is it? Are these freely available stories, pictures, videos doing harm to growing minds? Is it true freedom to encourage harmful relationship attitudes?

First it was to give people the right to publish virtually anything. That’s freedom. Then it was to condone sexual behaviour in whatever form the parties wished. That’s freedom. Then to allow ‘no fault’ divorce. Then to allow pregnancy terminations. Now the world is in the process of redefining marriage. In Ireland it was the choice of the people, in USA, the vote of just five Supreme Court Justices.

What is the result? Young people expected to adhere to changed society norms, despite personal moral standards; relationships now often considered transient; many coerced, even forced by law, to violate deeply held beliefs and customs.

Does the individual’s right to these freedoms result in others being coerced or induced into behaviour they might otherwise reject?

Much good has resulted from the lifting of strict moral codes of the Victorian era but has it gone too far? Should unbridled freedom and the rights of the individual always take precedence? Do these freedoms to indulge personal desires encourage illicit behaviour?

Look at these statistics. The number of road accident fatalities per 100,000 population:

Australia 7.8

Canada 8.8

United States 13. 9

Russia 25.2

Egypt 41. 6

These rates seem very likely to closely align with the strictness of road rules and their compliance by road users in each country. In our campaign for individual freedom should we really argue against Australia’s strict road rules and compliant users?

In Chapter 5 of Healing is Your Birthright: Claim It! There is mention of the story of Bartimaeus, the blind beggar. He heard that Jesus was coming and called out to be healed. The crowds rebuked him, they told him to be quiet. But he wouldn’t. He called again and again.

Jesus stopped. He must have known what Bartimaeus wanted, but asked, “What do you want me to do for you?”

What, or who, is the real you? We know that we continue to exist after our body dies and dissolves into nothing. But, in what form do we live on?

Many studies and experiences of people who have actually died, but recovered, prove that we do live on – Near Death Experiences or NDE’s, they are called.

In what form do I really exist? It’s not my body. If I lose a leg, I might not be able to get around physically as readily as before. But I still exist – my mind, my thinking hasn’t changed. What if I lose all my arms and legs? As many have – either through paralysis or amputation.

Though much of my body has gone, I’m still me. Though somewhat handicapped, I’m still a whole person.

So, let’s think outside of the box. My life is not my body. But if that’s so, what is my life? Isn’t it my consciousness; invisible, non-material spirit?

But that’s what God is. Spirit.

If I am spirit and God is Spirit am I getting somewhat above myself? Not at all! Clearly explained in the very first chapter of the Bible – “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27 NKJV)

It is wise to take proper care of your arms and legs and all the rest of your material body. But it is far more important to look after the real you – your consciousness.

Are you allowing that consciousness to fall prey to evil thoughts? To hate, to anger, to revenge, to resentment, to envy, to fear, to anxiety? That’s the spiritual equivalent of getting involved in a bull fight! If your consciousness suffers, your body will follow suit.

Are you too fat, or too thin? Too tall, or too short? Too old, or too young? Rich, or poor? Clever, or simple? Black, or white? These are of no consequence in spirit – your true self.

Just be grateful for the wonderful gift you have received directly from God. The gift of life in His image – the image of Love! And show that gratitude by living as Jesus taught. Then all your material needs will come.

There’s much to encourage anxiety – fears of continuing climate warming causing all sorts of future calamities, fears of distorted versions of Islam becoming more powerful, fears that the wrong groups or nations may possess nuclear weapons, fears of the emergence of China as a major world power.

Should we be anxious? The short answer is No. Don’t be taken in by these fearful thoughts which, in one form or another will always be trying to get your attention.

Not quite 50 years ago, Dr Paul Ehrlich, who was Professor of Population Studies at Stanford University wrote a best seller.

Called “The Population Bomb,” it resurrected fears created by Thomas Malthus in the 19th Century who had predicted wars and famines because populations would increase at a vastly greater rate than food production.

Ehrlich provided the example of Costa Rica. He predicted that its population would double in 17 years (it actually took 26!). He predicted that, as there was insufficient population control through war and pestilence, it is likely that there would be world wide famine.

He likened this “population explosion” to a cancer – not an uncontrolled multiplication of cells, but of people. He argued that the world population must be brought under control, then reduced to a supportable (lower) level.

“If we are not successful in reducing the population size to that lower level but can stabilise it at perhaps 4 to 5 billion we will still have a chance.” He wrote. Today the world population is at 7.3 billion and counting! And most are enjoying a far higher standard of living than they were 50 years ago.

Why was this highly qualified and respected leader of population studies so badly mistaken?

He based his future projections on past trends. He didn’t allow for our God-given ingenuity – medical advances in birth control and abortion and the reduced authority of Roman Catholic dogma and a reduced need to have large families to look after aged parents. He didn’t allow for advances in agricultural methods and the building of megacities to house these extra billions.

And so it is with most, perhaps all, predictions and forecasts which engender fear. That’s what we need to fight – not the fearful predictions, not the circumstances, but the fear. Fight the fear, know that it will disappear into nothingness.

Jesus taught, “…don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” (Matthew 6:31-33)

Have you declined to try something new? Was it because you doubted your ability?

Won’t enrol for that course, learn that new skill, apply for that job, because you doubt your chances?

Readers Digest Australia (June 2015) reports that Lauren Kornacki, a 23 year old college graduate found her father crushed under his car which had fallen off its jack. Spontaneously she reached under the wheel hub and pulled. The car lifted! She held it with one hand and, with the other, pulled her father out from underneath by his leg.

Her father was seriously injured but recovered.

Did Lauren stop to decide whether or not she had the strength? No. She just did what had to be done and saved her father.

Chapter One of Healing Is Your Birthright: Claim It! Discusses matter and thought. Whether there is a relationship, a link.

Experimental scientists have actually proved that there is a clear connection. That by observing a particle with sufficient frequency the normal expected decay of that particle can be prevented. Thinking about matter can actually change matter! Unbelievable?

Psychokinesis or telekinesis – the ability to influence matter without physical action – “bending spoons” has been largely discounted as either fraudulent or caused by natural forces. But there remains a lurking suspicion that there may be something in it.

What about this? Australian Peter Ford who worked for decades as a news broadcaster in Australia and with NBC and CNN is also an accomplished computer programmer.

He gave up his news gathering, working full time on his dream. He developed a device which he called a NeuroSwitch. This is connected to a person and picks up electrical signals inside a muscle and transmits them via Bluetooth wireless to a computer.

Electric signals? Electricity involves an electric charge which causes effects varying from the moving of a muscle to destructive lightning strikes.

By using a NeuroSwitch and an appropriately programmed computer or laptop a person, suffering spinal injuries, severe degenerative diseases, cerebral palsy or paralysis and unable to move or speak, can communicate, send emails, SMS, surf the web, read, listen to music, even play video games.

Why? The person can’t move a muscle, but he can think. That thought sends a message to a muscle. Due to his condition that muscle can’t react. But the message is real and is picked up by the NeuroSwitch and relayed to the computer.

Now that person has a life. He can interact with his family, speak, read, enjoy movies. Want to know more? Log on to www.controlbionics.com